BMW i3 Neue Klasse Pre-Series Production Begins Ahead of 2026 Debut

Pre-series production for the new BMW i3 Neue Klasse has begun at BMW’s Munich plant ahead of its debut this year.

BMW is gearing up to launch its second-ever Neue Klasse EV model by beginning the pre-series production for the new BMW i3 at its Munich plant. This is done ahead of the EV sedan’s long-awaited official debut, which might take place sometime later this year, where it will usher in a new era for the coveted 3 Series line.

According to BMW, these early-production i3s are built using a full production process, starting from the press shop up until the final assembly. The pre-series production gives the automaker the space to stress-test the workflow, as well as both the equipment and logistics readiness before series production, which will begin in the second half of the year (H2 2026).

This pre-series production run also indicates that BMW has completed the construction of the new body shop, paint shop, and assembly areas for the i3 Neue Klasse at its BMW Group Plant Munich, with early i3 prototypes seen running tests on real roads partly at its pilot plant instead.

As for the car itself, the new i3 is still wrapped in camouflage, but some details can still be seen and derived from it. For starters, the new i3 looks very similar to the Vision Neue Klasse concept shown a few years back, plus some non-concept bits like conventional side mirrors, a wide lower air intake on the front bumper, and more.

Although no interior photos were shown, we’ve been told that the new i3 sedan will rock the same Panoramic iDrive screen setup seen on the new iX3 Neue Klasse, marking a huge departure from the more conventional, driver-centric cabin setup seen on the current G20-gen 3 Series.

Beneath its camo-cladded body, the new i3 will underpin the same Neue Klasse electric platform as the new iX3, so we can expect the sedan to get the same 800-volt architecture with BMW’s latest sixth-gen eDrive powertrain unit and cylindrical battery cells.

Speaking of power units, powertrain details for the new i3 remain under wraps for now, but based on what we’ve already seen on the iX3, this new EV sedan has a lot of catching up to do, to say the least.

For reference, the new iX3 comes in a single 50 xDrive form for now, featuring a dual-motor AWD setup delivering a combined output of 463 hp (345 kW) and 645 Nm that enables a quick century sprint time of 4.9 seconds. Juicing the iX3 50xDrive is a sizable 108 kWh battery pack that provides up to 805 km of WLTP range for the SUV.

Besides the new i3 Neue Klasse, BMW has also teased the top-of-the-line M version of this new EV sedan that will debut later in 2027, featuring a manic quad-motor setup with simulated gear shifts and sounds.